Authors, Clothing Designers: Get Your Wares in an Upcoming Movie

Want to know how?

Help fund writer, director J.D. Walker's KICKSTARTER campaign for her movie, THE POSTWOMAN!

There are NINE days left until the campaign in, and funds are still needed for this worthwhile movie, which has been featured in The Huffington Post and Indiewire's Shadow and Act: On Cinema of the African Diaspora. You can head to J.D.'s KS page to watch a video and learn more about the movie and campaign, but here's how you can get your wares into the production.

BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT

With a $75 pledge, you can enjoy your book being featured in the Bookstore scene and a digital link to watch the feature film (after the film's theatrical release and all restrictions placed on the project by TV or distributors). Clean "TITLES" only: Non-offensive. Children, Romance, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Erotica, Poetry, Spiritual, Motivational, LGBT, and other titles, okay. Just look for Pledge $50 or more [BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT: ALTERNATE $75 PLEDGE] in the list of pledges you can make!

BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT: THE SUPREME EDITION

With a pledge of $100 or more, you can enjoy your book being featured in the Bookstore scene, your name in the closing credits, two tickets to an advanced screening, and a digital link to watch the feature film (after the film's theatrical release and all restrictions placed on the project by TV or distributors). Package also includes a PDF of the shooting script, a Postwoman Movie luggage tag, and a grocery tote. Clean "TITLES" only: Non-offensive. Children, Romance, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Erotica, Poetry, Spiritual, Motivational, LGBT, and other titles, okay. Just look for Pledge $100 or more [BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT: THE SUPREME EDITION] in the list of pledges you can make!

CLOTHING LOVERS DELIGHT

With a pledge of $100 or more, you can enjoy having your clothing line featured in THE POSTWOMAN, your name in the closing credits of the feature film, two tickets to an advanced screening, and a digital link to watch the feature film (after the film's theatrical release and all restrictions placed on the project by TV or distributors). Just look for Pledge $100 or more [CLOTHING LOVERS DELIGHT: ALTERNATE $100 PLEDGE] in the list of pledges you can make!

GET TO PLEDGING!

Funding a Dream: Author Tananarive Due

One of my favorite authors is Tananarive Due. Her biggest fan is my sister. I'd put a bet on that. My sister has read and reread Due's books as if she's writing a dissertation on Due. Whenever a new one drops, she's big-eyed, excited, and on her way to a bookstore or online to buy.

The minute I learned that Tananarive, along with her husband Steven Barnes, had started a fundraising campaign for their short horror film Danger Word, I knew I wanted to put a shout out to the blogosphere in the hopes that people would hear this news and jump on board to support the project.

If you don't know Tananarive Due (and I'll try not to hold that against you), let me give you the skinny. She's an American Book Award winner and the author of the bestseller My Soul to Keep (my fave book of hers!). Her husband, Steven Barnes, has his truckload of talent as well, having written for several major TV science fiction series in the past 20 years to include The Outer Limits, The New Twilight Zone, and Andromeda.

Their short film Danger Word tells the powerful story of a 13-year-old girl and her grandfather who have survived the zombie plague in his wooded cabin—and how her birthday outing goes badly awry. It's a story about love and survival that empowers young girls.

A cool thing about this project? There are already 200 backers, including Hollywood insiders.

The Indiegogo fundraising campaign, which ends on July 29, 2013, would assist Due and Barnes on finishing post-production.

I asked Tananarive what it would mean to her to have this campaign fully funded, and her final response echoed that of author Liz DeJesus, who talked about dream fulfillment when asked about her fundraising campaign. Tananarive said

Aside from a few short scenes Steve and I wrote for a book trailer for FROM CAPE TOWN WITH LOVE with Blair Underwood, I have never seen my work translated to screen. I love movies, and I took up screenwriting in Los Angeles with the hope of seeing one of my book adaptations produced, but it hasn't happened so far. The idea to write our own movie came like a lightning bolt, and it has been one of the most liberating experiences of my life. The trailer is the only footage I've seen so far, and even that short snippet is so thrilling! I know there are other fans out there who would like to see the movies I want to see, and it's a dream come true to make those stories come to life on the screen.

You know, being a bestseller, being an award winner, being a successful writer does not mean you will always get a YES to projects you want to develop, projects you feel need to be developed. Sometimes, you can't wait for the YES of others; you have to make your own YES and work to build your dreams into realities. That's what this fundraising campaign does, just as it is doing for both writer, director J.D. Walker and author Liz DeJesus.

But even as you make your own YES, community love and involvement are important. It takes a community to raise an indie talent. Support this Indiegogo project from Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes today! While there, DEFINITELY take in the fantastic video that features Due and Barnes, the director Luchina Fisher, and the fantastic trailer to Danger Word.

You can also help the cause by clicking any of the buttons at the end of this post to share it on G+, Facebook, and Twitter.

Funding a Dream: Writer, Director J.D. Walker

Lately, a lot of talented writers I know have created fundraising campaigns to assist in their creative pursuits. One such talent is writer, director J.D. Walker. J.D. is a Sundance Film Festival Pitching Contest winner and also an Honorable Mention winner for The Postwoman in the Sundance Table Read My Screenplay Contest. I met J.D. on Facebook and am a definite fan of her constant push to develop her craft, to place herself in places and spaces and before people that can help propel her to new levels in her endeavors.

Using Kickstarter, J.D. is seeking funds for her movie, The Postwoman. The dramatic feature film is about a single mom who develops the courage to confront her ex-husband, dysfunctional family, and teenage daughter about her secret life with another woman. Funds received from the Kickstarter campaign would be used to assist with production expenses.

When I asked J.D. what it would mean to her to have this campaign funded, she said, "It means that we can proceed with filming, get the film distributed in theaters, film some of the first early scenes of the film, market what we film to private donors and investors, and it also means a step toward the second feature film on Oscar Micheaux, which won the pitching contest at Sundance."

Please take time to visit J.D.'s Kickstarter campaign for The Postwoman and consider backing this project. Even a dollar can help, but the more you pledge, the closer J.D. will get to securing production-expense funds. It doesn't hurt that there are cool Thank You "gifts" for backers, too.

You can also help the cause by clicking any of the buttons at the end of this post to share it on G+, Facebook, and Twitter. Let other people know about this great project and equally great talent.

Part 5 (of 5) of Book to Screen @ APOOO Bookclub

In the last part of the five-part series, Book to Screen, I offer information on where to find agents, contests, production companies, and more for your screenplay.

Big thank you to those who have e-mailed about the series, have learned from it, and are actually interested in now turning their books into possible screenplays!

To read my latest The Write Life for You commentary in the Book to Screen series, head to APOOO Bookclub via this [link].

Part 4 of 5-Part Book to Screen Series LIVE @ APOOO Bookclub

In the first three parts of the five-part series, Book to Screen, I offered advice on books and software to help you on the scriptwriting journey, seeing your book as a visual story, and seeing your book within a movie structure frame.

In this next part, I talk about the actual writing of the script, with short discussion on major story components, such as action, character, and dialogue.

Big thank you to those who have e-mailed about the series, have learned from it thus far, and are actually interested in now turning their books into possible screenplays!

Now, let's move forward in this journey! To read my latest The Write Life for You article in the Book to Screen series, head to APOOO Bookclub via this [link].


Leave comments!

"Thinking Structurally" ~ Part 3 of 5-Part Book to Screen Series

In the first two parts of the five-part series, Book to Screen, I offered advice on books and software to help you on the scriptwriting journey, and then I talked about seeing your book as a visual story.

In this next part, I talk about "Thinking Structurally"--and by this I mean looking at your book, once you have parsed out what could be redeveloped for the script, and thinking about it in terms of movie structure. In this part, I talk about the three-act structure (not as a hard rule but to give guidance in structuring your "movie" story), components that are vital to any good story, and a mention on non-linear and linear storytelling.

Big thank you to those who have e-mailed about the series, have learned from it thus far, and are actually interested in now turning their books into possible screenplays!

Now, let's move forward in this journey! To read my latest The Write Life for You article in the Book to Screen series, head to APOOO Bookclub via this [link].


Leave comments!

Book to Screen 1: Some Basic To-Haves & To-Dos

Becoming a Lifelong Learner of the Craft of Writing

By author, editor, educator Shonell Bacon aka ChickLitGurrl™



The Write Life for You is a series of articles on the writing craft. Past articles have focused on building character, developing a solid plot, and editing a screenplay.

In the last article of 2010, I kickstart a new series on turning your book into a screenplay. I know there are many of you out there who have written books that you see across your mind's screen and you know, just know that it would make for a great movie. Well, this 5-part series will offer information and advice for you to roll up your sleeves and transform that book into a screenplay.


Head to APOOO Bookclub to read my latest article in The Write Life for You series, "Book to Screen 1: Some Basic To-Haves & To-Dos"!

In Scene with Screenwriter/Educator Jana Williams

The Writer



In Jana's own words: I did not have a pretty childhood; but it made me the person and writer that I am. I was raised in Arizona by a single mom; my dad had been a small time con man and grifter and my mom tossed him by the time I was about six. We had constantly been one step ahead of the law because of his schemes, but he was also a fabulous and gifted story teller. Once her fourth child was born, my mom put her foot down and refused to ever move again - this is how we ended up in Phoenix; more by accident not design. My mom was a amazing gal in many, many ways - somehow managing to make ends meet on a secretary’s salary and raise five girls in the process.

In college I discovered an intense love of photography and enlisted in the U.S. Navy… not that unusual for poor, working class kids. I worked as stills photographer for the base newspaper, in El Centro (more desert!) and also as high-speed motion photographer for the Parachute Design Engineers. This involved the use of high-speed film cameras and a lot of flying - which was hugely cool ! I flew in a lot of the top military aircraft of the day - and some really old clunkers from WWII.

Towards the end of my enlistment the Navy discovered I was a lesbian; and I discovered they were misogynist and so we bickered and then agreed to part company. At the time, I had nothing to lose and so packed all my stuff and went to an airline counter and asked for a ticket to somewhere different …. but not TOO different. The airline person said, “Oh, why don’t you try Vancouver? It’s just like here only they speak French!!” NOT!

Since I moved here, I have been involved as a volunteer in any number of ways for the city I love. I was a member of the Big Sisters organization for seven years. As well, I was a key organizer for the Gay Games held here in Vancouver in 1990. A TWO YEAR volunteer effort in which I was joint chair of a five day Literary Festival (which saw 60 authors from around the world participate.)

After moving to Vancouver I found work first in the publishing industry, and then when I started writing seriously I talked my way into the film industry. I worked for a number of years as a VFX and Post coordinator which gave me a great overview of how the film industry as a whole works. Post & VFX have really influenced how I write screenplays. My teaching style is very pragmatic. Screenwriting is a craft… and the more diligently you study it the more thoroughly you will acquire the skills. But first and foremost, the act of creation is a JOY. Start with that thought and everything else is gravy!


You can learn more about Jana at the following sites:

• WORDSMYTHE: Screenwriting Essentials


• WORDSMYTHE: Screenwriting Tips


• SpeakerSite

The Interview

What are THREE adjectives that best describe YOU?
Self directed, disciplined and passionate.


I have been to your official writer website, and I can see you are very diverse in your writing - dramas, comedies, street teens, history. Why do you feel compelled to write what you do?
I am really interested in communities outside the mainstream. Hollywood hasn't figured this out yet; but we're not all only interested in stories about rich, white males! I'm most interested in stories from the myriad sub-cultures that really make up who we are as a people; gays, street kids, bi-racial folks - people who constantly straddle a line to create a meaningful life.


Talk to us about your journey as a writer; as a screenwriter, what have been some of your major accomplishments?
Although I somehow manage to make my living as a writer/teacher.... the things I consider milestones are oddly non-paying! The FIVE DAY literary festival that I spent 2 years of volunteer labour organizing for the Gay Games in Vancouver. 60 authors from around the world.... it was FAB. Simply placing (1/4 finalist) in the Nicholl's Fellowship. I had loved the screenplay I submitted and it was validating to think they did, too!

Frankly, I think most writers' lives are like this; but especially screenwriters. You invest so much emotion & hope in creating a script because an idea simply won't leave you alone.... and then, like your child - it goes out and creates a life all its own. Your script finds directors and actors and maybe even a distributor some day - but by the time ALL of that happens YOUR attention is somewhere else. You have a new idea that's demanding your attention - and that is the thing that is really compelling and gratifying right now. And I wonder if that's not the way it's supposed to be.... when the focus is creation.... and craft.


What are things you're doing now to get your work into the right hands?
All writing in this culture is something first and foremost you must do because you love it. That way the rewards happen right away! Writing for film in particular is very 'relationship' oriented; I believe because film is so collaborative. Your script is only a springboard for other really creative minds to bounce off of. You must begin 'marketing' knowing that and never lose sight of it.

At first, I was a ball of fire.... inundating everyone with synopses, query letters... blah, blah, blah. Now, not so much. What a beginner CAN do is...

#1 - CREATE A PORTFOLIO of scripts FIRST. This is what I tell all my students - what I emphasize with my mentorship seminars. (a painter doesn't just have ONE painting in his studio)

#2 - CREATE a stellar LOGLINE & synopsis for each of your scripts....

#3 - AND THEN, begin to market re: contests, pitch fests, film festival 'Industry' events & NEVER to be underestimated - WORD OF MOUTH & personal referrals. BUILD relationships with other film people.


What is your fave movie...and why?
ONCE WERE WARRIORS (New Zealand, I think) a haunting, horrifying and yet UPLIFTING film about present day Maori people surviving the impact of European decimation of their culture. Why is it my favorite? It hit me like a ton of bricks that as an abuse victim I AM NOT ALONE.... nor tremendously special in my angst. It changed me in a way no self-help book ever did and moved me past self pity. If you can stand watching it - it's incredible!!!


What is your fave beginning of a movie...and why?
Oh, complete polar opposite of the above title. LYRICS & MUSIC, the opening title sequence made my sister and I laugh so hard we nearly peed ourselves! Very fast and witty 1st ACT; all four main characters (actors) are really flawless. And the film is a great sendup of pop stars; and in particular pop stars and their fascination with RELIGION!!


After you contacted me, I was instantly drawn to you as a writer and as a teacher...pretty much because I have that insatiable need to teach what I know, too. Your need to teach has brought about your site WORDSMYTHE. What is the mission of WORDSMYTHE?
Truly, I LOVE helping people get their film idea out of their head and onto the page. We would have such a vibrant and exciting film culture in N.A. IF we could only cajole each other into telling our own stories with all the passion and heart with which we lived them!


WORDSMYTHE has products for both the new and the not-so-new screenwriter; talk to us about some of your more popular services.
CRITIQUES: Your rewrite can only be as GOOD as the feedback you receive. Gads, I have gotten some really lame feedback from industry sources. SO, I have a critique blueprint which shows you exactly what I'm looking for in my script readings so that we're both completely clear about the criteria for assessment. That said, I won't read every script offered me. Because I really engage with every project.... there are some things I won't read: Slasher, horror (well campy maybe), revenge fantasies, misogynist stuff.... So, I usually start the process with a logline from students & or synopsis.

DVD SEMINAR: 3 hours of 'how to begin' information and exercises for beginning screenwriters. Can be used in conjunction with the WORKBOOK, but either can be used alone. A good place to start the journey to writing your own film.

SEMINARS: I really love doing these.... So, IF you want one in your town help me organize it!! There can be 3 hour seminars but the best is at least a FULL DAY. Best of ALL is the 2 day WEEKEND INTENSIVE.... 'cause you really get time to develop your idea for a film.

COMING SOON: ONLINE SCREENWRITING TUTORIAL....


JANA WILLIAMS: THE SOUNDTRACK. What are three tracks that would HAVE to make it onto the soundtrack of your life?
Oh, gosh... this is a hard one! Moonlight Sonata, Ce Sera, Sera (Doris Day) and any kind of Sanskrit chant... but especially Heidi Groschler's stuff (Hirdaya)


When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Since my previous life, I think. My grandmother was an incredible storyteller... and so was my Dad - people could not turn away from him once he started! And I was always the kid in the family that invented story to distract us from our troubles - plays, songs, you name it, I made my sisters participate in it. How could I NOT have become a writer!!


THE THREES


What are three websites every newbie screenwriter should have bookmarked?
TED: Ideas Worth Spreading - WATCH THIS EVERY DAY that you feel unable to commit with passion and purpose to what you're writing!! Also, does a good job of explaining Right brain/Left brain function. In my opinion every great screenplay is a balancing act of these two hemispheres of the brain - structure & creativity!

College Humor - Always remember sometimes LESS WRITING is MORE. Sometimes it's what you don't say in dialogue that makes the phrase work!

WORDSMYTHE: Screenwriting Tips - I know, it's ME. But really, if you want to start writing screenplays or any other thing - find someone who is passionate about what they do and who will give you HONEST answers and feedback!


What are three books on screenwriting every newbie screenwriter should own?
Syd Field - Screenplay is pragmatic and to the point (sometimes redundant as he seeks to make his word count for his editor!)

David Mamet - On Directing Film, is the other extreme and a very good counterpoint to Syd!

And then, maybe - Adventures in the Film Trade or some other memoir to illustrate just what kind of ZOO you'll be trying to pick the locks to enter!


What are three movies every screenwriter should have MEMORIZED to understand good storytelling and movie making?
I teach MONSTERS INC.... because animated films only RELY on their script - there's no star, no super director to pull an audience into the world! Besides, if you're going to memorize something it should be happy & this film tells us over and over again; LAUGHING is 10 times more powerful than scream!

The USUAL SUSPECTS is one of the smartest scripts I can recall and Kevin Spacey is brilliant!

THREE..... it's so hard. 'Cause there's GENRE to consider, and humor and style and shoot!! Some Like it Hot - Billy Wilder is brilliant and so far ahead of his time! A long 1st Act by today's standards but still wonderful!


What projects are you currently working on?
I'm completely absorbed in launching the ONLINE SCREENWRITING TUTORIAL right now. Also, I'm mentoring a number of private students - but in particular 2 young guys who are busy pitching their first TV series. And I'm hoping to find funding for a documentary we've shot based on our bi-racial family dynamic.

The project's called 1O THINGS EVERY BROWN GIRL SHOULD KNOW. And coaching a group of screenwriting students in India.... Film really is so global now. I LOVE IT! And I have a story idea that's burning a hole in my brain - but I really try to take summers off to hang with my little girl. Besides, then I'm all pumped for FALL with a new story idea.... so hey, that's not so bad.

Writer of All Trades: Kristin Johnson

The Writer



A graduate of the University of Southern California Master of Professional Writing Program and member of Women in Film and Television, Kristin Johnson draws on her multitude of experience in writing and storytelling. She is an award-winning poet (Blue Mountain Arts) and short story writer whose fiction has appeared in anthologies including the Southern California Anthology and Aleatory’s Junction, a journalist and Web writer, and a produced playwright with theatre award nominations (Desert Theatre League, Palm Springs, California). She is the author of the Midwest Book Review 'enthusiastically recommended CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE FOR GIVING (Tyr Publishing, 2003), co-written with Mimi Cummins. ORDINARY MIRACLES: My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and Scientific Journey, written by Sir Rupert A.L. Perrin, M.D. with Kristin Johnson, was published by PublishAmerica in 2004. Ms. Johnson is also the author of BUTTERFLY WINGS: A Love Story (iUniverse, 2000).

Her essay "Lincoln, YouTube and History Reconsidered" was excerpted for HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. LINCOLN, A National League of American Pen Women anthology celebrating the Lincoln Bicentennial and officially sanctioned by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration.

Her short screenplay “Daniel’s Letter From Heaven” has been a finalist in the 2003 British Short Screenplay Competition, ‘The Best & Most Prestigious Short Screenplay Competition in the World,’ and a quarterfinalist in the 2007 Screenwriting Expo Screenplay Competition in the Short Screenplay category.

Kristin is a writing consultant with many projects in the works.

Wanna learn more about Kristin? Check her out at Dotcomers.tv, A Ghost Writers Blog,MySpace, and Facebook.



The Interview

What are three colors that reflect your personality...why?
Red, because it is my favorite color and I'm passionate about what I do. Pink, because it's romantic. And blue, because it's a healing color, a peaceful color.


What was the first inkling in which you thought you wanted to be a writer?
As a child, I would make up plays, written on a typewriter, and cast either my stuffed animals or my family and friends. I also wrote an Elizabethan-era (unfinished) romantic novel when I was twelve. However, my mother, a former teacher and librarian, and my seventh grade favorite teacher, Mary Delaney, told me I was a writer, and that stuck.


What is your favorite movie...why?
I would have to say "Casablanca," just because of its brilliance and redemptive message -- and you haven't experienced it until you've witnessed Robert McKee analyze it scene by scene, moment by moment. However, I also will watch "The Shawshank Redemption," same reason, or "Legally Blonde" (just because it's always cute and diverting) any time they show on cable. "The Big Chill" is a favorite because of the connection to my alma mater, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.


What is your favorite beginning of a movie...why?
"Shawshank Redemption" is one of my favorites. Also, "Breakfast at Tiffany's". You learn so much about Andy DuFresne and "Red" in those first few minutes of "Shawshank," and the image of Holly Golightly in those big sunglasses eating her pretzel outside Tiffany's is hard to forget. I also like Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid," just because they set the magical tone so well.


You are a writer of all trades - poet, stories, screenplays - what form do you enjoy writing in the most?
Another great question. Screenplay writing challenges me, so I enjoy it the most for that reason. However, with fiction, I love playing with words and expanding on character. For the fourth annual MuseOnline Writers' Conference, the free virtual writers' conference where you and I first met, I'm presenting a chat and weeklong workshop on what writing both screenplays and fiction can teach you about writing action. I cover more than action, of course -- character, dialogue and the Hero's Journey. I've converted scripts to novels and novels to scripts.


Talk to us about one of your first YES moments - a time when you received positive reception for your words.
Reading the wedding poem for my sister and brother-in-law, "On Our Wedding: Ahava," that later won first place in the Blue Mountain Arts Tri-Annual Poetry Competition. That poem was my wedding gift to them. When a local playwriting group staged a reading of my one-act play "Greetings and Salutations" (that later appeared in its playwriting festival and was nominated for five local theater awards), one of the audience members, an actor, jumped up and said, "I love it!"


You're strutting down the street - looking, feeling like a million bucks - what's your theme song?
"Wind Beneath my Wings" by Bette Midler, "One Heart" by Celine Dion or "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra.


What are some of the things you're doing to get your writing into the right hands?
Beyond the usual, writing contests and submitting to publishers/producers/agents (which I need to do more of), I would say: Networking, networking, networking. I network with people who aren't, strictly speaking, in the business, because you never know. I go to screenwriters' events hosted by Women in Film-Palm Springs, an organization I cannot praise enough. I connect with people through wonderful groups such as the Original Palm Springs Writers Guild, National League of American Pen Women and The MuseItUpClub Online.


Why do you write?
Author Christopher Rice, son of Anne Rice and a formidable professional in his own right, spoke to one of my writers' groups recently. He said, "What you do is valuable to our culture." While that's uplifting in the grander scheme (and a comforting thought on those writer's block days), my more elemental answer is that writing is part of who I am. I have a passion for it. Words, ideas, thoughts. A painting can spark a story. Anything I'm reading about or watching inspire stories, or else make it into my writing. I am a voracious reader and moviegoer. The written word is my lifeblood. My great-grandmother was a writer and my mother published a children's book.


To all those screenwriters out there looking to get a moment in the limelight, what are three pieces of advice you'd offer them?
Don't be afraid to take chances. Don't be afraid to put your work out there. I think of a friend of mine who died this year, actor Elwood Carlisle, who began his acting career as an extra "at the young age of 74". He died at 84. Among his career achievements was creating a "FANTASTIC" (his catchphrase) documentary on his life, "Elwood Superstar," produced by two amazing people who worked on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and are now filmmakers. I am in the footage of that documentary. Whenever you think of giving up, think of Elwood, as I do.

And don't do screenwriting unless you genuinely love movies and television. The upside of that is that every time you go to a movie, any movie (good and bad), that's research.


What projects are you currently working on?
I'm doing quite a bit of work for clients, all types of writing, and enjoying the people who have given me their stories to work with. I have clients all over the world, from the UK to Illinois, New York to the Netherlands, from the Middle East to my home state of California.

I've started a novel of my own, just finished a rewrite of a script about cyberbullying (I'm working with the marvelous Michele Wallerstein), and am still writing on the "Dotcomers" project that I talked about in All the Blog's a Page when you so generously gave me the spotlight. By the time this is published, I will be in Japan and have visited Malaysia, which will inspire plenty of writing, I'm sure -- including travel writing for sites such as goparoo.com.

Keepin' It Real with Screenwriter Cynthia Dagnal-Myron

For the month of March, All the Blog's a Page (AtBaP) has gone to the big screen as we talk to screenwriters!

This week, we wrap up our March series with a woman who offers GREAT advice to any writer: screenwriter Cynthia Dagnal-Myron!








For the month of March, I asked SEVERAL questions regarding fave sites for writers, advice, differences and similarities between the different media platforms in regards to writing, etc. When I asked, For those of you who write for different arenas - big screen, boob tube, stage, page, web - what are elements that differ for you as the writer in regards to how you SEE the story unfolding in each arena, Dagnal-Myron replied, "I only write for the big screen and the "page," so I can only speak for those two. But the difference is that when writing a novel or an article, I can offer both action and the "motivation" for what the character is doing in words on that page. A script is all "action." You're showing, not telling. What a character does has to carry that story, and the power is in what the character does even more than what he says. In fact, if you write about what a character is thinking in a script it will receive a quick "pass." When writing a "story," you can have the character ruminate, think aloud, discuss.

"You can also spend a whole page on description, to set a mood or make a point, when writing fiction. You create a whole world with words. Script writing has to be very economical, and exposition is to be avoided like the plague. In other fiction I can tell you what music is playing, what the character looks like, what perfume she wears. In a script, they frown upon this, because in the end, none of that will be decided by the screenwriter. So there are remarkable differences--glad you asked! I hadn't really thought about it this seriously before, though it's something I work with everyday."




To read the rest of Cynthia Dagnal-Myron's comments on screenwriting, head to All the Blog's a Page!


And while there, check out the screenwriting features from Stephen Kogon, Brian Spaeth, Kristin Johnson, and John W. Bosley!



ALL THE BLOG'S A PAGE (AtBaP) - Where everything relates to writing
[http://alltheblogsapage.blogspot.com]

Movies, YouTube, and Screenwriting with ScriptGirl

ScriptGirl



Age: 29
Ethnicity: Thai/German
Born: Offutt Air Force Base--Bellevue, Nebraska. Military brat: Raised in Omaha, San Francisco, and Ipswich, England.
Education: University of Iowa; art history major.
Employment History: All manner of lowly production jobs. Production coordinator on EPKs for various studios. Studio marketing department (DVD box sets). Agent's assistant at Original Artists, Beverly Hills. Producer's Assistant.

Youtube: link
Facebook: link
MySpace: link





THE INTERVIEW

Who is ScriptGirl?
ScriptGirl is an online persona whose stock-in-trade is a weekly report on Hollywood script sales. She eats, sleeps, and breathes screenwriting. She’s an ambitious young woman who has dedicated herself body and soul to the glorification of those talented souls who battle the tyranny of the blank page every day so that the rest of the world can be entertained. So basically she’s me. Kristina. But in far more revealing shirts. (laughs)


How did ScriptGirl come about?
A producer I worked for had me compile and read to him a list of script sales every day. Half the time he would doze off in the middle of my spiel, so I entertained the idea of videotaping them so I could continue on with my other duties. I never did it. Anyhow, I told some screenwriter friends about it and they convinced me to give it a try and post them on YouTube. And here we are.


Now that you are a YouTube celebrity, are you planning to use your ScriptGirl image to benefit your career, and if so, how?
Well it’s odd. A lot of opportunities have come my way due to ScriptGirl, but they don’t necessarily jibe with my career goals as a screenwriter. I’ve been offered some TV hosting gigs and those folks could not care less about some brilliant rom-com I have in my car. Likewise, the producers I meet with aren’t the least bit impressed by my Internet alter ego. In fact, I think it may actually diminish my credibility. Well, that and the fact that I tend to show up at meetings late, inebriated, and wildly belligerent! (laughs maniacally)





I know that you work as a producer's assistant, and one of your duties is to do coverage on scripts and novels. What are three reasons that you often reject a story?
Significant lack of any of the following…Originality, point of view, or specificity.

On rare occasions I will trashcan a script based solely on formatting issues. But they have to be pretty epically egregious issues!


On your MySpace page, you have 'screenwriter' as part of your occupation. What has your journey been like in Cali as you pursue a screenwriting career?
Well, I didn’t go to film school, so when I arrived in LA after college, I was such a rube. Really just impossibly green. After a very brief stint working at the Getty, I decided what I really wanted to do was work in the industry. My first paying job was as a PA on an EPK (behind-the-scenes movie.) I was almost fired the first day for being 3 hours late because I couldn’t find BURBANK! That’s what a dolt I was. Even then I was already fancying myself a screenwriter.

I’d written 40 pages of a script that I was convinced was a work of genius. It wasn’t. It was actually quite horrid. But God bless the potent combo of naiveté and ambition. I showed that awful, partial script to every professional writer I crossed paths with. Most probably rolled their eyes and laughed their asses off behind my back but one, David Fuller (NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, THE TAKING OF BEVERLY HILLS) either took pity on me or saw some faint glimmer of hope. He said “Great. Congratulations. You’ve written your first script. Sort of. Here’s the bad news…it’s terrible. But the good news is…the next one will be better.” And with his help, it was. And his wife got me a job in the marketing department at the studio where she worked. Needless to say, I am forever grateful to them both.

A couple of years and five or six scripts later, I managed to find an agent who liked a romantic comedy I’d done and sent it out. It was optioned by the production company of a pretty big-time actor (whom I shall not name) and as a result, for about a month, I took meetings on every estrogen themed project in town. But nothing came of it. The project died a slow death and promises of other jobs dried up. So it was back to office work for me. Which leads us back to ScriptGirl.


What are three pieces of advice you would offer to those wanting to break into screenwriting?
Make friends with rejection. The numbers are always going to be against you. That’s a fact, Jack.

Optimize all opportunities, big and small. Actually, just assume they’re all big.

Write from your heart. But get a good agent or manager to handle your business. Financially raping writers is a sport to producers. Like golf or polo.





What are your three favorite movies and why?
CITIZEN KANE…for all the usual reasons but also because it’s my dad’s favorite movie. And I’ve had a crush on Orson Welles since I was about 12.

BADLANDS…because Malick captures all the inarticulate rage and romance of youth in the most poetic fashion imaginable.

RUSHMORE…because I WAS Max Fischer growing up. Female model. But perhaps I flatter myself.


Who is one of your favorite writers, and how does he/she inspire you as a writer?
Billy Wilder is my all time favorite screenwriter. The breadth of his career boggles my mind. He created masterpieces in half a dozen genres and his dialogue never seems dated. All that in a second language. He’s the Brett Favre of screenwriting. There will never be another like him.


Word Association. What comes to mind when you see the following words:
SCREENWRITING: Tough racket
MOVIES: Magic shadows
CELEBRITY: Pretty razorblade
HOLLYWOOD: A state of mind
SCRIPTGIRL: Cynical dreamer

In the Spotlight: Author Shelley Halima

Imagine the movie poster for your latest novel, BLINDING MIRROR. What's the logline?
When you’re blinded to who you really are…


Expand on that logline by pitching us BLINDING MIRROR in 50 words or less.
Olivia Valente was born into abject poverty to abusive and neglectful parents. It isn't until she meets the mysterious and beautiful Pilar who shows her it's possible to escape the life as she knows it and attain one of wealth and leisure. Olivia does so but along the way to living the fabulous life she leaves a trail of lies and deceit that ends in those closest to her paying the price.


I've learned through some research that BLINDING MIRROR took you on darker paths in your writing than with your previous two novels, Azucar Moreno and Los Morenos. What was the spark to which BLINDING MIRROR was born?
One of the things I’ve observed is the fascination our culture has the so-called socialites who appear to do nothing but shop and court the paparazzi. The wheels began to turn and the story of Olivia was born and how she ended up losing her soul in her pursuit of wealth. There's nothing wrong with wanting to increase one's finances - I'm certainly working to do that - but this deals with someone who goes about in the completely wrong fashion and is willing to barter herself to become rich.


Talk to us about the writing process for BLINDING MIRROR. Was it a fast write? Was it more difficult than your previous two novels? Did the darkness of the material slow the writing process?
Blinding Mirror was definitely a more difficult write than the first two novels. I'm very familiar with the cultures represented in AM and LM but with Blinding Mirror, I had the challenge to writing about some cultures and lifestyles of which I knew nothing of and to do so in a convincing fashion. The darkness of the character Olivia didn't slow the process at all. In fact it was a great spark. Just as some actors find it more appealing and more of a challenge to portray dark characters, I as a writer felt the same way about writing the dark character.


From AZUCAR MORENO to BLINDING MIRROR, how have you grown as a writer?
I think my more subtle with my writing now. For instance there is a horrifying event that takes place in Blinding Mirror and the characters never actually speak specifically about the incident but it’s still very clear what has happened. I guess I’ve found that not saying anything at times speaks volumes.


I LOVE that you're so versatile - a novelist, a producer, a lyricist, a screenwriter. Was it always your idea to make your first novel, Azucar Moreno into the movie FIESTA?
Yes, it was. Especially, after I’d heard from so many people that they could see this as a film. And in the end it’s worked out so much better that we are doing it independently since I can be a bit of a control freak when it comes to my work.


How has the production gone with FIESTA?
The production has hit a few bumps but the wonderful thing is those bumps made way for even better people to get involved in the film. From when we started out until now, I can hardly believe how blessed we’ve been with the attention it’s gotten from certain people in the industry. If it’s possible, I’m even more excited about bringing this story to the screen.


Do you plan to produce your other books into movies, too?
Yes, I’d like to do the sequel to Azucar Moreno—Los Morenos. And Blinding Mirror has to be made into a film. I don’t quite see it as a theatrical release like I do the others. I can see this more as a cable film for some reason.


How has your work in screenwriting and movies influenced your novel writing -- or has it?
Really I think my novel writing influenced the screenwriting. With some great advice from a couple of actors I learned to bring certain subtleties into play in the screenplay. I had to learn to not SAY but to SHOW through actions and imagery as I did in my novel writing.



Click cover to receive updates on BLINDING MIRROR's availability!


What are you doing or plan to do - as author - to promote BLINDING MIRROR?
Since I've been working on getting Fiesta off the ground I'm going to move the release of Blinding Mirror to the beginning of the year, that way I can give myself time to work on promotions such as getting the galleys out and hitting up radio, newspapers and online outlets. It's best to do that about six months out before the release so this will give me time to do that. I will be releasing the novel under my entertainment company.


In looking back at your short but successful career as a novelist, what themes, topics do you find prevalent in your works...that reflect you, Shelley Halima?
I would say my open-mindedness. I've never been one who only wanted to associate with people who shared my ethnicity or background. So in my novels I want to reach out to different types of people and to tell their stories in a way that I hope can open the minds of others so that they will not automatically write someone off because they are different from them. Unfortunately, I see this a lot and it's my hope that even in some small way I can change that.


You're going on vacation, and you're only allowed to take three books with you -- what are they, and why these three?
It by Stephen King, Jubilee by Margaret Walker and Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean R. Koontz. These are probably my top books of all time. It because it frightened me so with the improbable, Jubilee because I felt like I was transported back in time and could feel the pain and joy of those who were enslaved and then set free, and Dark Rivers because even though it was fiction it was chilling in its truth in how things are going on right now. All I can say is Patriot Act.


Who is one of your favorite writers, and how does he/she inspire you as a writer?
Without a doubt Stephen King followed very closely by Dean R. Koontz. Stephen King just has a unique way of bringing his stories to life. I love how he puts you right there in the story. On the downside, I slept with a light on for a week after reading IT and to this day I hate clowns. Nope, never had a problem with clowns until ole Steve ruined it for me forever.


BLINDING MIRROR: The Movie. In the dream version, who plays Olivia Machado (Oliva Magdalena Delgado), Gino Valente, Lourdes , Sofia , and Isabella?
Ines Sastre (Lost City) as Olivia
Miguel Ferrer as Gino Valente
Mischa Barton as Lourdes
Rachel Bilson as Isabella
Dominik Garcia-Lorido (Andy Garcia’s daughter) as Sofia


What's currently going on in your WRITING LIFE?
Right now I’m writing songs for two very talented young artists and writing songs for them, working on the sequel to Blinding Mirror entitled Crimson Mirror as well the screenplay for the follow up to Fiesta.

Want to learn more about Shelley Halima? Then check her out at the following cyber locations:

Wells-Halima Entertainment: www.wells-halimaentertainment.com
Shelley's website: www.shelleyhalima.com
Shelley's MySpace page: www.myspace.com/shelleyhalima
Fiesta: The Movie on MySpace: www.myspace.com/fiestathemovie
Official Fiesta: The Movie website: www.fiestathemovie.com (website coming soon)